Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-31
THE EMPIRE OF FASHION.
yeuuie Jun~'s New Year Gossip ON nm
Ait-AS.orbing Topic.

Au-AS.orbing Topic.
TuE FRc3Rkss FKRHASxScs on IDEAS IN DRESS
FITNESS yESs,-s PsKTrISEss - GOOD TASTE AND
sssTLicrTY N the pzEss FRENCH woxES-rHE
sScsSr RUSSIAN x,SIl-srrToSs AND BELLS
F-,l. Our Own Correspondent
NEW YORK. Dec 30, Iss7.
Tae greatest and most important change which
h. TAKEN place OF late years In regard 20 dress
',,h1u itsef has effected without sny f,our ish of
rImpets and without getting any credit as a 're-
-mer.~ THIS l. In substituting fitness for prettI-
n--sS The toOOggan costume proper Is about as
usiy a. can b. Imagined. IL Is a blanket cut into
s>GiTt and saeqne, with worsted cap that looks
eNictIy Ike an Old-fashloned knitted nIzht-cap.
q the grs glory In tbs dress and look well In IT,
thick shapeiess AMI dreadful a. it often Is.
\ The women trfcycllsts. who are becoming
nun rOus body and always belong 10 a wealthy,
or AZ least weItD-io class, do not give a thought
Ia the OscOmhz CT their ATTIRE; tt Is what is
ms, CONVEX isnJ, most Comfortable and proves no
OBSTACLE 20 SHINING along a road as fast as
III, n sl,SI ~ or 40 hies Oh sOod n ing thy are
plain, hnsey WOOlsey short skirts, a blouse or
Isrsey waist and 'common-seOse- boots Their
eyes are bright, their cheeks red tn spirits
are high; they forget their clothes. for the woman
j. superior % them; she Is there at her best-not
- mr. w0rst, "a when OyerpOwered by dress and
the endeavor 70 display IL and not herself TO the
best advantage.
This step may not seem 50 much TO great
niany. because lt Is not taken by all women and
all at once; but 10 IL OF vital importance for all
tlit and Includes much more tnan shows upon
Tue surface IL means health, honesty, the rid
dAnct'-largely-oI whatever is found 70 be bur-
d-n,Ome and an obstacle; and To come back to
Tue original staten mt, the gradual substitution
In the minds OF women OF Suitability instead OF
Prettlness which, by ignorant straining, 80 often
1llls NJ the result.
This idea OF fitness and suitability has another
gOJd SIDE; " leads to permanence In essential
things and IDEAS once something has been found
ton IL Will be required again. n Will be kept for It's
purpose, or only permitted 70 dverye In slight and
IN TsT.r has aaR a fan AanNT
fashion for the last twenty-five years; and though
isnoTant fashion-mongers, who cling to old ideas
and that when II does move there Is advance
all along the line. endeavor 70 revive absurdities or
appeal 20 restless cravings after novelty. Is with
out much success. Startling things announced
Ike The showmanS "cherry-cOLOref' pet, but ft
turns out the same black cat after all
The shOIt walking dress the cloth jacket. the
hat. the boots, the convenient redngote. the Jer-
scy-ntting garments, the Princess dress, all came
10 stay. They have all been introduced within the
Last thirty Years, and have simply improved and
acquired variations and adaptaoility: but the
IiundatiOn principle In them remains the same
The most simple aud the most practical dresses are
those worn by the most fashionable women and il
apparently plainest cut VIII be found the most
expensive, the design, materials and workmanship
being the best
EMANCIPATION OF DRESS
Fashion Is responsive and appreciatiye The
moment cottons were improved In the manufac-
ture-made soft, nne and adapta ble-it adopted
them, took them under its wing, applied graceful
lniormti Ideas and designs 10 them adorne them
with ribOonS and decorative touches, and in short
raised them out OF the wash-tub TO place beside
the leen on the throne
WOOL, aiso now outrankS silk for street and general
wear and this Il due TO the prestige impaired TO iU
by idshiOn. which in time will B.. reinrOrc "a by
ssnse and experience, that wooden materials
healIhful, diversified, durable NAV also be SET
DOWN as safe investment, sure now they have
come In such varied and attractive well as use
ful glse 10 stay.
The woman is emerging, that Is all; she is be-
coming superior TO her clothes, and fashion would
n Il a 1r..Nf IL
why dress reform movement always wants 20 be
made To seem fashionable and be taken up by 30
car leaders but the difficulty is social leaders do
not make fashion: it hes deeper ft is part OF the
UNIVERSAL order. IL cannot be permanently made or
nninade al any ones bidding. IL does not consist
dress or bonnet; Tt Is evolutionary, selr-actng,
seII,sreating, and part OF the lie OF the ages.
Ihis Is the reason why lt Is always so much
better 10 be thankful for what we have arrived at
than 20 cultivate spirit OF fault-nndng and con-
domination, which viii rarely be found 70 work out
anything better than we have, IL our experience
has made US acquainted with the best.
There are no women on the face OF the earth who
give 5000 ideas a more permanent place than the
French; or VINO are less disturbed by the changes
and caprices OF what Is called fashion but which
are really trade tricks 10 catch the dull and the
lille; VINO, having no resources, want eternal and
inceSsant change In personal belongings and the
an American lady found In Paris. al one OF the
greaI shops. white skirt for dressy underwear
-Ound the bottom ana the yoke-band az the back
fery neatly and trimmed with nne embroidery
inside, AT the oack- were short narrow tapes-six,
three or side-to which tied very
small nne, flexible. and delicate tournure
The skirt was bought. brough TO America,
when the purchaser again visited Paris
Tor the self same skirts-or others exactly like
theui-oOuyht another aud brought IL home where
II served her we'll as the nrsI and the imoortei
and Illustrated French underskirts OF to-day show
10 cnanse; nor did they. while we here were piss
tng through the recent brief attempt at supremacy
Il big bu,Iles.
A wrap bought on that first visit and a dress ON
Tasfs - n h.4
wearable; they would De considered good .styIer
anywhere. All women who have bought clothes
IN P1ris VIII testify that they dread the wearing
ny o-cause, except In Paris, they cannot get
ore exactly Ike theIn and they eInbody 50 many
,yment OF nrSt-class, not inferior, WORKMANSHIP
hen woman wants clothes made: not alone.
Tor effect; but permanent design and satisfaction
VERSATILITY AND INDIVIDUALITY IN MODEM
FASHION.
or the whole we have great reason for coporaru-
alton on what fashion has achieved and what it
his overcome IL has even now arrived at a
pint where every woman can consult her own
taste and stiil remain within the pale OF fashion,
Soie IecoShitoa- she can wear one OF nfty differ
ent SHAPES and varieties OF hats and bonnets-a
danty aHair all feathers and Embroidery. m She
does not 20 into society she does not need the
dressy bonnet; in fact. II would be out OF place
FOR day wear there Is clOta and FUR OF fifty dir
rent grades or cloth without the fur and with
brllding. or cloth plan without either. and all
,Il ny well worn In cloth. the straight skirt Is
lore styiisnly worn than the draped skirt but it
J. hard 10 get that through the heads OF the COM
mon drtssinaker and manufacturer, and also the
ordinary ouyer-whO all have '.trapery- on the
briia and Insist upon putting IL into everything
In wraps there are long cloaks, small NANTES
ulsters, redinSotes. jackets, wIter-proofs round
llr-ined cOaks- and many other varieties, all ac-
Crptei AL more or less and at different times and
s@aS)ns. worn BY ladies whose Intelligent taste no
Que would think OF disputing. The variety is end
LIS, the differences, matters OF detail dependent
apOn individual circumstance and preference A
aain princess ulster, made Of DARK green cloth
We years ago, AMI trimmed with black fur Is
worn exactly as ~ was then--to-day-and with
black mum aad black hat, as then, could be re-
Pated IOr twenty years and still be good wear
Naturally, the mania Tor the Russian. lust now
has IrOught u something beside the redingote Al
bazaar recently the dresses OF the lady attend
ants we're very good copies OF Ia, Russian peasant
anl court dress one also representing Russian
bid. The married ladies wore the more stately
cost lme the train OF which Is In the princess
ID "a ana plated from the neck This Is repeated
"a sAHae OF the handsome brocade dresses male for
unhers and ceremOniOuS occasions this s-asOn:
anu from Russia aIso, we get the long s.angei"
se-srs, Win coat sleeves beneath and the elabOr-
attls embroidered fronts OF our richest gowns
ilr ohiy recu Russian peasant dress represented
% thr OCCASION alluded 10 displayed the Russian
-rves->Slch 90 linen, In red and blue on cream
-mch Las oreE OF Late 10 much the rage In needle
NofA as crOsS-siitch Is the oi1-fasllioned sam
p.st.sulch- Is quickly and easily executed in
oahcs Tor aprOns-tOwels-the TWO have hacome
F1nl ali tl..L